nCa Report by Elvira Kadyrova
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov has completed his two-day official visit to Türkiye. The summit talks between Serdar Berdimuhamedov and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took place in Ankara on 26 October 2023, the second day of the visit.
Thirteen documents were signed at the end of the summit talks.
Before the start of the summit talks, the presidents exchanged the pups of their national dog breeds – Alabai and Kangal.
Earlier in the day, the Turkmen president participated in the Turkmen-Turkish joint business forum where he made some important proposals. The business forum also led to the signing of agreements between the business entities of both the countries.
The Turkmen president placed flowers at the mausoleum of the founder of modern Türkiye, Ataturk, and the monument to the national poet of Turkmenistan, Maktumguly.
Summit talks
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had tête-à-tête and expanded format talks at the Aksaray Palace.
We are producing here the slightly paraphrased gist of their conversation and remarks:
tête-à-tête
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
The current visit is an important event in our interstate dialogue, based on long-standing good traditions, unbreakable ties of friendship and brotherhood.
Türkiye remains committed to the full-scale, strategic partnership with Turkmenistan. We also acknowledge the enormous personal contribution to the successful development of bilateral relations by the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. I convey my heartfelt greetings and best wishes to Hero-Arkadag.
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov
I express my gratitude for the invitation for this official visit. I am also grateful to the Turkish leader for the great efforts he has made aimed at progressively building up friendly interstate ties.
I convey warm words of greetings and best wishes from the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to the President of Turkey.
This is my first official visit to Türkiye and I am confident it will serve to further develop the bilateral relations.
This visit is taking place on the eve of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic. I congratulate President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on this significant holiday and wished him good health and prosperity, and the Turkish people great success in new century.
The relations between our countries, which are successfully developing in the political-diplomatic, trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian spheres, are consistent and are systematically strengthened taking into account modern realities and the requirements of the time.
Carrying out close interaction on the world stage, Turkmenistan and Türkiye demonstrate similar or largely similar positions on current regional and global issues.
We are ready to further develop the trade and economic cooperation on the mutually beneficial and equal basis. Among the promising areas are energy, transport, investment, hi-tech, the launching of new forms of partnership, and increase in the mutual trade turnover.
Expanded format talks
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov
Our countries interact constructively in the international arena, primarily within the UN, as well as other authoritative structures – the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Organization of Turkic States, the Economic Cooperation Organization.
By putting forward similar or close positions on key issues of international politics, Turkmenistan and Türkiye have gained solid experience in partnership by supporting each other’s proposals and initiatives that affect the primary objectives of global development.
We recognize the exceptional role of the United Nations. At the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, Turkmenistan took the initiative to develop a Global Security Strategy based on the norms and principles of the Community of Nations. In this context, it seems important, firstly, to use preventive measures to avert conflict situations, especially at the stage of their inception; secondly, maximum use of the potential of neutrality mechanisms; thirdly, the revival of a culture of dialogue based on trust. In implementing this proposal, Turkmenistan expects support from the Turkish side.
There is the need to significantly intensify partnership in trade, energy, transport and communications, industrial, agricultural spheres, in the field of high technologies, through industrial cooperation, business communications, contacts in other areas. In this regard, the Turkmen side is ready to intensify interaction and expand it with specific projects.
The development of energy partnership is also beneficial for both countries, for which there is the necessary legal framework. In this context, such an aspect of interaction as the supply of Turkmen natural gas and electricity to Turkey is relevant.
In this regard, it is proposed to consider the possibility of supplying electricity to Turkey by transit through third countries. Thus, the soon-to-be launched construction of a new power plant with a capacity of 1,574 MW on the Turkmen coast of the Caspian Sea will provide the necessary opportunities for this. We intend to implement this project together with our Turkish brothers. In a few days, a groundbreaking ceremony for this strategically important energy facility will take place near the city of Turkmenbashi.
One of the priority areas of partnership is also the field of transport and logistics, where to expand cooperation it is necessary to maximize the potential of transport routes and corridors. Here, transport corridors in the directions Afghanistan–Turkmenistan–Azerbaijan–Georgia–Türkiye, Central Asia–Middle East, as well as the Caspian Sea–Black Sea offer great opportunities. In addition, there is an opportunity to increase the efficiency of using the infrastructure potential of the Turkmenbashi International Seaport and the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway.
Turkmenistan intends to expand cooperation with Turkiye in various sectors of the economy, along with the traditionally core areas, of building up mutually beneficial equal partnership in investments, the gas chemical industry, the agro-industrial complex, in the field of environmental protection, new generation technologies, tourism, business, and other relevant areas.
Currently, Turkmenistan envisages the implementation of a number of large projects in various areas of industry, as well as in the cultural and social spheres. And this requires innovative high-tech engineering solutions, solid technical experience and craftsmanship.
Cooperation in the fields of culture, science, education and other areas also plays a significant role.
I invite President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to pay an official visit to our country at any time convenient for him. The timing of the visit will be agreed upon through diplomatic channels.
Documents signed
The following documents were signed at the end of the summit talks:
- Memorandum of Understanding between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan and the Union of Chambers and Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) on the creation of a forum of the Turkmenistan-Turkey Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TTCCI)
- Agreement on cooperation between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the Republic of Turkey on the joint production of audio and video products
- Action Plan between the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan and the Organization for the Development and Support of Small and Medium Enterprises of the Republic of Turkey
- Memorandum of Understanding on the development of cooperation between the Academy of Civil Service under the President of Turkmenistan and the Human Resources Office under the President of the Republic of Turkey in the field of human resource management
- Agreement on cooperation between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the Republic of Turkey in the field of technical regulation, standardization, conformity assessment, accreditation and metrology
- Protocol on cooperation between the Main Archival Department under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan and the State Archive Department under the President of the Republic of Turkey
- Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the State Committee of Turkmenistan on Television, Radio Broadcasting and Cinematography and the Communications Department under the President of the Republic of Turkey in the field of media
- Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan and the Council of Higher Education of the Republic of Turkey on cooperation in the field of higher education
- Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the Agency of Transport and Communications under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Turkey in the field of research work on transport and information technologies
- Agreement on cooperation between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the Republic of Turkey on plant protection and quarantine
- Agreement on cooperation between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the Republic of Turkey in the field of culture
- Action Plan for cooperation in the field of youth policy for 2024–2026 for the implementation of the Agreement on Cooperation between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the Republic of Turkey in the field of youth and sports
- Agreement on cooperation between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the Republic of Turkey in the field of meteorology
Press conference
After the signing ceremony of the documents, the heads of state addressed a press conference.
Here is the relevant passage from TDH:
Commenting on the results of the negotiations, the President of the Republic of Türkiye emphasized that he was very pleased to receive President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and the delegation of Turkmenistan in Ankara. In this regard, it was noted that this is the first official visit of the President of Turkmenistan to Turkey as head of state.
As President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized, bilateral relations based on common language, history, culture, respect for mutual interests and equality are consistently developing. During today’s negotiations, various aspects of interstate cooperation were discussed. A number of documents were signed relating to such areas as energy, transport, trade, environmental protection, agriculture, youth and sports policy, archival affairs, education, and the media.
As is known, the Turkish leader said, Turkmenistan, possessing huge reserves of energy resources, comes up with important initiatives to ensure global energy security.
Noting the similarity of views of the parties on the issues on the agenda of the negotiations, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also emphasized that the Turkish partners are proud that Turkmenistan has observer status in the Organization of Turkic States.
During the negotiations, significant attention was paid to trade and economic relations. A clear confirmation of the progressive development of cooperation in this direction is the fact that Turkish companies are participating in the implementation of projects carried out in Turkmenistan. Today’s joint business forum is also intended to give a new impetus to the development of our business ties, noted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Türkiye, being the first state to recognize the independence of Turkmenistan, rejoices at its achievements in all spheres of life, which is the result of the efforts of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the head of the friendly state emphasized.
In conclusion, the President of the Republic of Türkiye expressed sincere gratitude to the President of Turkmenistan and the members of the accompanying delegation for the constructive negotiations that took place.
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, taking advantage of the pleasant opportunity that presented itself, on behalf of himself and on behalf of the Turkmen people, expressed sincere congratulations and wishes for well-being to the Turkish side on the occasion of the national holiday of Türkiye – the 100th anniversary of the Republic, which will be celebrated in a few days.
As President Serdar Berdimuhamedov emphasized, today, as part of the official visit to Türkiye at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, constructive negotiations at the highest level took place, which took place in an atmosphere of friendship and mutual understanding. Issues of bilateral cooperation affecting various areas were discussed. There was also an exchange of views on current regional and international topics of mutual interest.
The readiness to further expand and strengthen the strategic Turkmen-Turkish partnership, based on the principles of mutual respect and equality, was confirmed.
During the negotiations, the head of Turkmenistan continued, attention was paid to key issues of regional and international politics, in particular, the topics of maintaining security and stability, strengthening the humanitarian component of international relations. In this context, the importance of intensifying joint efforts was noted.
In the context of bilateral relations, the role of trade and economic partnership was emphasized. During the negotiations, the importance of increasing the volume of trade between the two countries was noted, and views were exchanged on the opportunities available in this direction and ways to implement them.
In addition, issues of transporting Turkmen natural gas and electricity to Türkiye through the Caspian Sea were discussed.
As President Serdar Berdimuhamedov noted, the important role of deepening close cooperation in the field of transport and transit in increasing trade between the two countries was confirmed. In this regard, it was emphasized that the activation of existing transport corridors, in particular, the Trans-Caspian and along the Caspian Sea – Black Sea route, as well as the creation of new directions are of mutual benefit. An agreement was reached on the implementation of the necessary measures to ensure constructive and efficient interaction in the field of transport.
Along with this, issues of building up bilateral partnerships in various industries and the participation of Turkish companies in large projects being implemented in Turkmenistan were discussed.
At the meetings, it was emphasized that the common cultural heritage and spiritual and moral values of the fraternal peoples serve as a solid basis for expanding mutually beneficial and equal relations.
Based on this, readiness was expressed to further deepen bilateral cooperation in the fields of culture, education, science, healthcare and sports in order to preserve and strengthen centuries-old ties, the head of Turkmenistan said.
As a result of the negotiations, important documents were signed to facilitate the progressive expansion of political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian dialogue and complement the legal framework of interstate relations.
Business Forum
The joint Turkmen-Turkish Business Forum took place at the Central Office of the Union of Chambers and Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB).
In addition to the business representatives of both sides, the Vice President of the Republic of Türkiye, Cevdet Yilmaz, the Chairman of TOBB, Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, and the Minister of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Türkiye, Mehmet Fatih Kacir were also present at the forum.
Addressing the forum, the Turkmen president voiced some important ideas:
Large-scale projects are currently being planned in Turkmenistan in various fields of industry, cultural and social spheres, which require innovative engineering ideas based on high technology, solid technical experience and skill. Therefore, our country invites Turkish business circles to work together on the above-mentioned projects, especially on the concept of “Ashgabat City”, which is to be built based on the principles of a modern “smart” city, and on the industrial cluster that will be built in the city of Arkadag.
Turkmenistan attaches importance to building up investment partnerships with foreign countries, and here the main goal is to attract foreign capital to ongoing large energy and infrastructure projects. This in turn opens up a wide field for action for us. I propose the creation of a Joint Investment Fund and a Joint Working Group on Investments.
I am also in favour of considering the issue of opening branches of a number of leading Turkish banks in Turkmenistan in order to financially regulate the activities of Turkish investors and industrialists in our country.
Energy plays a huge role in bilateral relations. We are talking here about sending Turkmen energy resources to Türkiye, in particular, electricity and natural gas. Turkmenistan is guided by the principle of equal consideration of the interests of producers, transit countries and consumers and is therefore open to interaction with Turkish partners in this area.
One of the key and promising areas of cooperation is the transport and communications industry. Today in our country there is a large-scale construction of new transport communications, road and railway crossings, and reconstruction of air and sea harbors. In this regard, I propose the holding of regular working meetings between industry departments, associations and companies of the two states.
At the same time, it seems advisable to create a Joint Transport and Logistics Center with the participation of relevant public sectors and private companies to intensify cooperation, coordinated and well-coordinated work in this area.
Agriculture is one of the main sectors of our economy. There is the key task of maintaining the food security of our countries and promoting international efforts in this area. Therefore, in Turkmenistan, significant funds are directed to the agricultural sector and agro-industrial complex, and the corresponding material and technical base is systematically improved.
In this aspect, we propose to build up the Turkmen-Turkish partnership and exchange of experience in the field of increasing agricultural productivity, improving seed production and selection, and introducing new technological developments into production. Turkmenistan is ready to establish mutually beneficial relations with specialized Turkish companies in the above areas.
Today the whole world is faced with the problem of climate change and other environmental threats. In such conditions, the role of water management is consistently increasing. Our country intends to modernize water supply and distribution systems, also attaching importance to regional and international cooperation in this urgent area.
Among the main tasks is the establishment of an effective partnership in the field of rational use of water resources and the introduction of water-saving technologies. At the same time, the reconstruction and expansion of the infrastructure of the bed and side canals of the Karakum River are among the specific projects. In this regard, our country is ready to closely cooperate with specialized Turkish companies in these areas.
One of the priorities of the national economy is the development of the industrial sector and production cooperation. Turkmenistan is carrying out targeted work to establish and expand international cooperation in this area.
In the modern conditions, the role of science and technology is progressively increasing in economic development. Therefore, it is important for our states to move forward in accordance with new demands and keep up with the times. We propose to intensify scientific and technical cooperation, within the framework of which it is seen as necessary to establish interaction between companies of the two countries specializing in information technology. The Turkmen side is ready to work together in these areas.
Turkmenistan aims to bring trade and economic relations with Türkiye to a qualitatively new level. At today’s meeting, upcoming large-scale tasks and new forms of cooperation are discussed. We will gratefully accept mutually beneficial and constructive ideas and proposals.
The exhibition of the Turkish goods and services will be held in Ashgabat, 6-8 December 2023. Within its framework, we propose to hold the next joint business forum.
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During the business forum, a number of documents were signed between Turkmen and Turkish entrepreneurs regarding cooperation in various fields, including the production of building materials, the agro-industrial complex and the food industry, the purchase of specialized equipment, etc.
Turkmen president placed flowers at the mausoleum of Ataturk and monument to Maktumguly
In the morning, the President of Turkmenistan proceeded to the Mausoleum of the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (Anitkabir), where he took part in a flower-laying ceremony.
From the Ataturk Mausoleum, the head of the Turkmen state headed to the Turkmenistan Park, located in one of the picturesque modern park complexes of Ankara – Dikmen Vadisi. There is a monument to the outstanding classic of Turkmen literature, the great poet and thinker of the East Magtymguly Fragi.
This park and the Magtymguly monument erected on its territory were inaugurated in 2012 during the official visit of Hero-Arkadag Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to the Turkish Republic.
Exchange of puppies of national dog breeds
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov presented President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with a Turkmen Alabai puppy named Gardash.
The President of the Republic of Türkiye, in turn presented the distinguished guest with two beautiful Turkish Kangal puppies.
The head of the Turkmen state thanked the President of Turkey for the gift, noting that he regards it as a sign of unbreakable friendly and fraternal relations between our countries.
Meetings on the sidelines of the visit
The members of the government delegation of our country held bilateral meetings with their Turkish colleagues in Ankara. The prospects for cooperation in such areas as the trade and economic sphere, the industrial sector and, in particular, the textile industry, as well as energy, construction, transport and communications, the introduction of advanced technologies, business contacts, etc. were discussed.
In Ankara, members of the government delegation of Turkmenistan also met with the Turkmen students studying at higher educational institutions in Turkey.
Turkmen president returns to Ashgabat
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov returned to Ashgabat the same day. President Erdogan accompanied him to the airport to see him off. /// nCa, 27 October 2023 [pictures credit Turkmen and Turkish governments and media]
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